"This includes medical advances, leading to shorter hospital stays for patients, and a shift to treatment and care in same-day outpatient settings or in the community.

"Last year there were over 1.2 million admissions into Scottish hospitals and demand on acute services has not reduced in the past year, with a small rise in total procedures in acute care settings.

"Therefore, NHS boards must remain cautious about the impact that fewer acute inpatient beds could have on patients and adverse effects must be avoided."

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: "As has already been made clear, the Health Secretary will be giving a statement to Parliament on this on Wednesday this week, and publishing the two reports on the reviews she ordered."

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